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8 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA THE BULLETIN The Offical Organ of the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia. Published Monthly by the Publicity Department. 409 Herald Building, Augusta, Georgia. Subscription Price—$2.00 Per Year ASSOCIATION OFFICERS FOR 1920-1921 P. H. Rice, president, Augusta. Col. P. H. Callahan, honorary vice-president, Louisville, Ky. J. J. Haverty, first vice-president, Atlanta. J. B. McCallum, secretary, Atlanta. Thomas S. Gray, treasurer, Augusta. Richard Reid, editor and publicity director, Au gusta. Miss Cecil C. Ferry, assistant publicity director, Augusta. VOL. II MAY, 1921 No. 6 The readers of The Bulletin must have been un- expressibly shocked at the news of the brutal murdei of seventeen negroes recently in one section of Georgia. It was very hard to realize the possibility of so awful a crime. Habitual disregard for law is not common in the state. Its most horrible result has been shown in this case. What must the people outside Georgia think of this state! The Georgia Laymen’s Association has been found ed for the purpose of correcting the false impressions prevailing in this state among our Protestant neigh bors, about the Catholic Church and her teaching, and thus establish more friendly relations. But God forbid that any one should insinuate that there is, or can be, any difference of opinion between Catholic and Protestant on the subject of murder and disregard of law. Though the overwhelming majority of Christian' in this state are members of the various Protestant Churches, it would be simply monstrous to say that ,as in all likelihood the perpetrators of these crimes were Protestants, the Protestant churches were responsible. . .No such unworthy and calumnious thought is ours. But in the remedy for these awful conditions Protestants and Catholics alike are wholly interested. It is undoubtedly the case that some action by the Legislature is imperatively necessary. Unfortunately this affords a chance for the politicians, most of whom have no fixed ideas, and are not guided by a con scientious connection of the right or wrong, but merely the expediency of a matter. It seems to me that the first step is to cease electing by popular vote, judges and solicitors. Human nature is very strong, and the temptation to bow to the whim of a majority, on whose vote the judge depends for re-election, is very powerful. But there is something of far greater importance The people must be taught submission to law, and respect for authority. When a mob takes the law into its own hands and metes out what it calls justice, it merely commits murder. Until this is done, all remedial legislation is vain. These awful crimes and the subsequent action ol the civil authorities, the suggestions made by the Governor after an examination—these have placed Georgia on trial. The rest of the American people are looking to her to see what Georgia is going to do to preserve in her borders a form of government which protects life and liberty. Our Christian civilization is at stake. If nothing results from these crimes in the way of reform, if human life continues to be held as lightly as now, if the life of the colored man particularly is in the hands of the mob and not in the hands of the court if mob violence continues to go unpunished, then every decent, honest and self respecting Protestant and Catholic Georgian must hang his head in shame for his state is disgraced before all men. (Signed) BENJAMIN J. KEILEY, Bishop of Savannah. Although the literature sent out during the month of April was not as great as during the preceding month, when 1200 samples copies of The Bulletin and as many circular letters were mailed to all parts of the United States, it was greater than any other month since the convention. The pieces of literature mailed amounted to 4,984. The records for the previous months follow: October, 3,830; November, 1,034 (no Bulletins this month); January, 3,363; February, 3,088; March, 16,606. During April subscriptions to The Bulletin have been received from the following cities: Tampa Fla.; Girardville, Pa.; LaSalle, 111.; Salina, Kansas; Alexandria, La.; Emporia, Kansas; Pass Christian, Miss.; Nashville, Tenn.; Spokane, Washington; At lantic City, N. J.; Canton, Ohio; San Francisco, Cal.; Woodstock, Vt.; Bellows Falls, Vt.; Waukesha, Wis.; Jefferson City, Mo.; Los Angeles, Cal.; Laurel, Miss.; Oneonta, N. Y.; New Orleans, La.; Grand Junction, Col.; Nenominee, Mich.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Lisle, 111.; Baltimore, Md.; and Worcester, Mass. On May 3, a subscription came to the office from the Knights of Columbus, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and others have been arriving daily during the month. Most of the subscriptions received may be traced directly to the circular letter of President Rice, accompanied by a copy of the March number of The Bulletin. The National Catholic Welfare Council Bulletin, in its issue for April, states that among the new organiza tions joining its ranks are “those two magnificent associations of Catholic Laymen who have done so much to defend the Church in America, to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ and to soften the feeling of antagonism and remove distrust on the part of our non-Catholic fellow citizens, The Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia and the Catholic Laymen’s Association of New York.”